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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23301445">In the Cards</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnrealRomance/pseuds/UnrealRomance'>UnrealRomance</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>As an adult, Everyone is adults because this is kind of into GX and beyond time-wise, F/M, Minors DNI, Minors do not interact, Modern Girl in Yugioh, Seto shows up in GX, so I'm using that as a jumping off point</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 12:40:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,067</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23301445</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnrealRomance/pseuds/UnrealRomance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jewel's not really sure what happened but she knows it's Seto Kaiba's fault.</p><p>Modern Girl in Yugioh, figuring out her place in this world and how to deal with one Seto Kaiba and his tendency to be the rudest fucker you ever met.</p><p>MINORS DO NOT INTERACT</p><p>These are adult versions of the characters from timelines like GX and on where everyone is older because the series ahead took place further and further into the future.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kaiba Seto/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Mokuba POV</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I don't know what this is all about, but Seto wouldn't call me in over nothing.</p><p>As vice president, my time is as valuable as Seto's and he always reminds me not to waste it. He takes a lot of care not to, either.</p><p>So whatever's going on, must be important.</p><p>But right now all we're doing is sitting in his office, waiting for someone to be escorted up from the front desk.</p><p>"What was it they said again?" I ask. "She wanted to talk to you about your 'trans-dimensional journey'?"</p><p>"She mentioned the Pharaoh by name," he replies. Fingers folded, eyes focused on the door. "His real name."</p><p>"Not this again," I complain. "What do you think big brother? Someone asking for help to save the world or some 'villain' trying to intimidate us into <em>not</em> helping? It's always one or the other."</p><p>"Mentioning the trans-dimensional vehicle I created and the purpose for which I created it was an odd choice," Seto replies. "I want to know what she knows."</p><p>So we wait.</p><p>And when she eventually gets ushered up to the top floor and into my brother's office, she looks a little green. "God, how high up am I? I <em>hate </em>heights."</p><p>"Come and sit down," I say, instincts taking over. Too many boardroom meetings, I'm stuck in schmooze mode forever. "You'll feel better."</p><p>Her eyes stick to me for a moment and then move to Seto. "Fuck it's really you. I was hoping I'd wake up before I got here."</p><p>After that incredibly weird statement, she walks over and sits across from Seto's desk.</p><p>"What is it you want?" he asks her.</p><p>"To go <em>home</em>, or at least not to die in a completely different universe. This is your fault, I know it is," she says as she glares at my brother. "That device you made so you could duel Atem, the one that ripped a hole in time and space or whatever? Did it ever occur to you that his dimension or universe or time or whatever isn't the only one that exists and that <em>maybe</em> you might have been fucking around with the natural order of the universes by traveling between them? I don't even know when I got here, I blacked out and woke up two days after somebody found me in a park."</p><p>Seto and I are…silent.</p><p>He's concentrating on her and thinking things over. I'm just in shock.</p><p>"You…" I might sputter a little. "You're not saying you're from another universe!"</p><p>It's ridiculous. It's possible. It's not probable. Seto <em>did</em> rip a whole through reality, though.</p><p>"Oh but I am," she replies. "I even know <em>you</em> there, <em>Mokie</em>."</p><p>Seto sits up straight and leans back in his seat, hands dropping to his lap.</p><p>I know that's about as shocked as he can get.</p><p><em>Nobody</em> knows he called me Mokie when we were kids. Not even Gozaburo got to hear it that often and he didn't seem to care enough to retain it.</p><p>Noah didn't know, Gozaburo didn't care to know, even Yugi probably doesn't know and he was in that place <em>with</em> us.</p><p>We both stare at this woman and I know we're having the same thought.</p><p>'<em>Who </em><em><strong>are </strong></em><em>you?</em>'</p><p>"So if you can't send me back, at least get me an identity here or something so I can get a job," she says. "I don't want anything but a chance to survive. That's not too much to ask for, is it, Seto?"</p><p>Calling him familiarly by his first name, with no respectful titles of any kind implies she's either just irreverent…or she knows Seto really well in her own universe.</p><p>Considering what she just called <em>me</em>, we're both probably assuming the same thing.</p><p>She <em>does</em> seem irreverent, but…she knows us.</p><p>Knows us so well she can look at us with recognition plainly in her eyes. She's unafraid of my Brother, who is one of the most terrifying people I know- at least to strangers…</p><p>And she keeps sweeping her eyes over us, like she's taking us in. Like she either hasn't seen us in a while…or we look<em> really</em> different from the versions she knows.</p><p>Maybe she's just lying. Maybe she's somehow found out stuff about us- small details that nobody would know. Except maybe the Orphanage kids and the adults who worked there.</p><p>But after so many years and so many kids, would they even remember a detail like 'Mokie' being my brother's pet name for me?</p><p>"You want a job," Seto says. "Doing what?"</p><p>"I don't know, whatever I can find?" she retorts. "I'm not picky, as long as I can eat and not sleep on the sidewalk."</p><p>"You've gotta have something in mind," I say. Picking up where Seto left off. "Something you're wanting in particular?"</p><p>"I'm not angling for anything except an identity in a world I don't belong to," she says snappishly. "So stop looking at me like I'm begging for money or something."</p><p>She directs that part at Seto, who raises an eyebrow, but otherwise doesn't react.</p><p>"Okay, but Seto usually likes to keep an eye on people he helps," I say. "Just in case something goes wrong. Either with or to them."</p><p>She sighs loudly and drops her head back. "I'm a writer, okay? I write stories. I'm nowhere near as important or impressive as a technological genius, are you happy?"</p><p>As she sits there with her head dropped back on the seat of her chair, staring at the ceiling- I realize I know <em>exactly</em> who she probably is.</p><p>She's one of Seto's friends.</p><p>He's never been good at friendship. So they tend to be emotionally damaged people who stick together mostly out of necessity and for emotional…something. Seto isn't exactly a snuggly bunny when it comes to that kind of thing.</p><p>It's almost like seeing Joey Wheeler or Tristan Taylor sitting there.</p><p>"Mokuba will handle the details," Seto says.</p><p>And I'm a little off-kilter, but this is still my job. Doing things my brother doesn't have time for. He works <em>so much</em> and if I can ease his burden just a little, it's worth it.</p><p>"Sure, I can contact someone in the government who owes us a favor," I say and take out my phone.</p><p>As Seto gets up from his desk, she sits up again. Then he walks past her and she stretches her shoulders- like she's relaxing from keeping them tense.</p><p>When the door finally closes behind him, I get a text message.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I can't. Freaking. Believe this.</p>
<p>"Is your room okay?" Mokuba flippin' Kaiba asks me.</p>
<p>At the breakfast table. Because I'm staying in the Kaiba Fucking Mansion.</p>
<p>"You mean the room with the hot-tub sized bath tub, that's bigger than some of the <em>houses</em> I've lived in?" I ask. "That room?"</p>
<p>He laughs a little and spears a sausage on his plate, popping it in his mouth. "Okay, bad question."</p>
<p>Mokuba is so…big. Tall. Older. He's…he's like almost-adult or just-became-an-adult? And Seto Kaiba didn't look like he'd aged so much as filled out.</p>
<p>He was still as tall as ever, with the same haircut and the same piercing eyes…but nothing about him was out of balance anymore. He wasn't gangling in any way or…</p>
<p>Adult versions of both of the characters I grew up with and learned sibling…treatment? From.</p>
<p>Before I had Seto Kaiba as a role model for how I should treat my brothers- I thought of them as nuisances, and I got into fights with them ALL the time.</p>
<p>Like that time my brother stabbed me with a fork, or that other time my brothers dropped a printer on me while I was watching TV.</p>
<p>Funny story, they stopped acting out once I started watching them like a hawk and worrying over their well-being. Mostly probably because it meant I played with them more.</p>
<p>Go figure.</p>
<p>Surrounded by all the decadence, with servants at my beck and call…is so <em>borrrinnnng</em>.</p>
<p>"Mokuba, uh- what's the ETA on my new identity?" I ask.</p>
<p>I honestly hadn't intended for Seto FUCKING Kaiba to put me up while he was arranging for my identity. And if I had expected that, I would've expected like, a hotel.</p>
<p>Sure a <em>high class</em> hotel, cause I'm sure that's the only kind he knows exists by now, but come on.</p>
<p>"Probably will only be a few days. They've gotta create an entire background for you, based on the information you gave us about your real one," he says. "It's to be sure you don't have to lie and get mixed up and end up making people think you're some kind of criminal."</p>
<p>"Could just say I'm in witness protection, please don't expose me," I reply.</p>
<p>He glances at me in surprise. "That…was fast."</p>
<p>"Seems the only logical option," I say. "What would you do if you were…totally random sitch here, but- what if you were trapped in a room underground with a bunch of guards roaming the halls of the place you were in?"</p>
<p>He thinks about it for a moment. "Uh…probably wait on Seto to find me and make sure I'm still there when he does."</p>
<p>"Simple, logical option," I say. "You know someone will rescue you and that the someone in question is overprotective and tenacious so you will <em>definitely</em> be rescued. Now all you have to do is survive that long. You're just as capable of coming up with ideas on the fly, it's just that your logic differs from mine, and so does the danger."</p>
<p>"I…guess so," he replies. Uncertain and a little spooked.</p>
<p>"S'wrong?" I ask.</p>
<p>He looks over at me and shrugs. "I…didn't realize how screwed up it is that I know how to survive in a bad situation long enough for my brother to save me, really is- before now."</p>
<p>"Everybody's life is screwed up somehow, I mean, look at me. I'm not even in the right universe!" I say.</p>
<p>He laughs and the smile just. Lights up his whole face.</p>
<p>I get a flashback to wittle Mokuba smiling like that and I have to look away and breathe for a minute to control my tears. It's like seeing your own little brother all grown up and you missed the years in-between.</p>
<p>"Are you okay?" he asks.</p>
<p>I blink and turn my attention back to him. "Sure! I just. I'm so <em>bored</em> here with nothing to do. Do you think I could borrow a computer so I can work?"</p>
<p>Honestly can't believe that just came tumbling out of my mouth- but I had to scramble for <em>something</em> to say and how do you gush emotionally all over somebody you just met!?</p>
<p>"Oh," he says in surprise. "Sure. There's a laptop in your room, didn't you see it?"</p>
<p>I stare at him dully. "No, Mokuba. And if I had, do you really believe I'd think it was an <em>amenity</em>?"</p>
<p>He chuckles a little at that and pushes himself out of his seat. "Come on, I'll show you where it is. And it's not an amenity so much as my brother tends to go through computers like nobody's business and having extras all over the place where he can swoop in and grab it if nobody's using the room is just convenient."</p>
<p>"Why doesn't he get a more powerful computer if the ones he's using can't handle his volume of work?" I ask as I follow him.</p>
<p>"Oh it's not the computer," he replies. "Seto does so much work and does it basically nonstop. The wear and tear can't really be avoided."</p>
<p>"Sure it can!" I reply. "I'm not gonna say anything about Seto's work habits, you know but. He could have a computer for each job. That might make things easier. And if he could hook himself up to a database for that one specific thing, like a huge server farm- but he's probably already tried that."</p>
<p>"Not that I know of," Mokuba says. "I think Seto prefers having his work all on one device."</p>
<p>"Sure, but you could do that by making the laptop like a…shell, for the operating systems on the servers? I'm not sure how to communicate what I'm thinking, but in essence you'd just open up different servers on the computer like different programs but they're actually totally different repositories for operating systems."</p>
<p>Mokuba is giving me an incredulous side-eye.</p>
<p>"I know, it sounds ridiculous, I'm just thinking aloud here!" I say. "Anyway, show me the way to the laptop already, I haven't written in days and it's starting to really get to me."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Mokuba POV, Seto POV</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So far, I'd say she's exactly who she says she is," I report. "Definitely used to be poor or lower class, she is not at all used to fanciness or even comfort. I had to show her the laptop on the desk. She hadn't gone near it because she didn't wanna mess anything up and she was afraid she wasn't allowed."</p>
<p>She didn't say anything about that, but I could tell from the way she was so careful with everything.</p>
<p>"You said she wanted to work," Seto says. Looking out the window at the skyline. Probably watching me in the reflection. It's one of the ways he avoids looking directly at people while allowing them to believe that he is.</p>
<p>Seto's not really that sociable.</p>
<p>"She's a writer," I inform him. "Wanted to get started on some new stories because she hadn't written in a few days. Apparently it's all she ever does and being left with nothing to do was mind-numbing."</p>
<p>"Hm," he hums. Staring down into the city of Domino with a detached fascination. "And?"</p>
<p>"She had ideas that she wanted to talk to me about- just to bounce ideas off of me. She didn't seem to think it was possible to get them published and didn't seem to want to entertain the thought of having to live here for too long. She kept stopping herself when she talked about home, like she was just reminding herself of how hard it would be to go back," I explain. "They were…really good ideas. The kind of really good that I think any other version of you might've taken notice of. Maybe even been part of. But she's…"</p>
<p>Pacing around his office, I try to think of a word that could describe it.</p>
<p>"She's not proud or too independent but she refuses to let people help her more than she can help herself. Or more than she needs to survive. I tried to open an account for her to buy clothes and other things- and she asked me to please just fast track her identity papers so she could get a job," I say. "It's like she refuses to accept help unless she absolutely needs it and only in the ways that she can't do something herself. She couldn't make her own identity, so she came to us."</p>
<p>"And she is unused to opulence even though she knows us," he says. "Because she refused to let me pay for anything in her universe. But if she were working for me…"</p>
<p>"She probably never used her money for things like that," I reply. "She was talking the other day about how billionaires are….well, I don't wanna repeat it but she hates them. She thinks all your money should go to charity if you have enough to support yourself and a nest-egg in savings. I think she gave all her paychecks away."</p>
<p>His head turned, like he wanted to look at me. But he stops and stays there, staring at the wall for a moment. Before turning back to the window. "Have her pitch something to the team that writes our games. If it goes through, she'll have a job and we won't have to worry about papers. We'll just keep an eye on her."</p>
<p>I feel a rush of victory and grin brightly at his back. "I'll tell her to work on something!"</p>
<p>"Find out who she is to us, Mokuba," he says. Eyes sliding across the window until they meet mine in the reflection. "Why she's so familiar, why she seems to know so much. We need to know."</p>
<p>"I'll work on it," I say. "But she doesn't seem very trusting."</p>
<p>"Take your time if you have to," he says, eyes shifting back to where he was looking before. "But find out."</p>
<hr/>
<p>Seto POV</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The first meeting we had, told me nothing.</p>
<p>That woman, whoever she is, she knows me. Well enough to know the childhood nickname I had for Mokuba. And <em>no one</em> knows about that.</p>
<p>Yugi might. He and Atem were in that old simulation, after all. If I could view my past memories, anyone could. For all I know, Noah showed everyone because he thought it might humiliate me, and they never mentioned it.</p>
<p>They're dweebs like that.</p>
<p>Pushing up into a standing position, I drum my fingertips across my desk.</p>
<p>Mokuba is a good judge of character.</p>
<p>I can tell when a person means me harm, usually. But I tend to deal with a lot of people who mean me harm. They want my resources, my reputation in tatters. My power.</p>
<p>Mokuba's senses are more nuanced than that.</p>
<p>But even I could see the way she looked at us.</p>
<p>When Mokuba wasn't looking at her, she would regard him with affection. Disbelief and awe, also- most likely from the fact that she was meeting us in an entirely different universe separate from her own.</p>
<p>When she thought <em>I</em> wasn't looking at her, there was something else. Frightened and small and anxious, like a wild animal backed into a corner.</p>
<p>I don't know what that means.</p>
<p>But I know what it feels like to be bereft of a purpose. That's what this refusal to accept help is, not some expression of pride.</p>
<p>And I know because I've been there.</p>
<p>She's consumed with the idea that once she begins working, everything else will work itself out. Accepting monetary assistance would be admitting that she doesn't think she'll be working anytime soon.</p>
<p>She can't accept that.</p>
<p>There were times after I took over the company when I was left with nothing to do. I had to come up with new projects and micromanage the ones already in production just to feel like I wasn't wasting time.</p>
<p>I've learned since then, how to have patience. How to stop myself from creating problems just to solve them.</p>
<p>It's very possible this is how we know each other. As employee and employer.</p>
<p>But something about the way she looked at me tells me it's more complicated than that.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>My genres in writing have always trended toward the romantic and the action-packed.</p>
<p>If I write a romance it has to be filled with action, adventure, character development! And if I write an action-packed adventure, there has to be romantic coding in it. Like…romanticizing your life kind of romantic, not like romance between characters.</p>
<p>I like the idea of characters getting to know each other and seeing the world a different way because of it.</p>
<p>The world of Duel Monsters is different though. Because the monsters on the cards are…real and alive but also inanimate and not a real character.</p>
<p>It's this…very strange and cool thing that sometimes vexes me.</p>
<p>I thought, maybe I could do something similar to what Kaiba had done with that Duel Kingdom game. I don't remember if that's what it was called, but…basically he made the cards and other people he knew, like Mokuba- into characters.</p>
<p>If I could do that but in a different setting and context…</p>
<p>I've been working on it for a few days, in fact. Working up concepts, sketching out things even though I'm a terrible artist, because I needed to know how I would want it to look.</p>
<p>Never made a game before, but I always want to. I'm always making concepts. Writing is all I can do. So I do it…and then I feel depressed because it will never be real.</p>
<p>I have like three duel-monsters themed ones right now, because obviously it's all I can think about at the moment.</p>
<p>An epic adventure in urban fantasy- a science fiction story- and a dating sim.</p>
<p>"Wow…" I hear a voice behind me.</p>
<p>I whip around so fast I almost give myself whiplash. "Jesus Christ, Mokuba!"</p>
<p>"Ahah, sorry sorry," he says and puts up his hands. "I've never seen a room this covered in notes before. Even Seto has a note system that keeps everything from getting too…spread out. What is all this?"</p>
<p>I've never been shy about my projects. Even fanfiction. If people ask, they're getting an explanation. If they don't like it, then they shouldn't ask.</p>
<p>That's always been my opinion.</p>
<p>But now I've got this weird feeling of inadequacy worming around in my stomach.</p>
<p>'<em>It's just Mokuba. He's not Seto, he's not gonna make fun of you. I mean, not unless it's in that harmless friendly way that people do. That's nothing to be afraid of,</em>' I coach myself internally.</p>
<p>"Okay well," I begin. Twisting my fingers together.

I continue once my teeth have detached from my lower lip. "I have three very concrete concepts that I've created. It's just for fun since I don't have papers and can't have a job yet, but-"</p>
<p>Walking over to the left side of the room, I gesture at the entire wall. "This is the storyline for an Urban Fantasy game in which Duel Monsters start to come to life all around the player. At first it's a lot of fun, but then it's basically a race against time to seal up the dark and evil card monsters before they can even be released to keep the balance."</p>
<p>Mokuba follows me from there to the center wall where I've plastered up the Scifi Story.</p>
<p>"And this one is Science Fiction in which a biologist attempts to make Duel Monsters in real life by using gene splicing. It goes wrong, of course," I say and gesture at the storyboards. "And the protagonist now has to find a way to pacify the monsters and use them to battle other, more powerful ones."</p>
<p>Then I move across to the right side, Mokuba right beside me again. I can't stand to look, I don't know if his face will be totally blank or not.</p>
<p>"And this is a Duel Monsters dating sim in which you date the monsters because that's always fun," I say.</p>
<p>"Is there no plot explanation for that one?" he asks.</p>
<p>I shrug. "No one usually cares enough to ask."</p>
<p>He laughs a little. "I'm asking."</p>
<p>"Alright, fine. Basically the world's population has dropped so drastically that there's barely any people left on earth. You, as the protagonist can choose to join with human society and have human love interests in a post apocalyptic city- or you can reject it and make your base an old research facility in which hard light projections can be made pretty much totally physical and real. Like, robots that can think for themselves made out of light."</p>
<p>"Is there some kind of really profound message about choosing virtual reality over actual reality?" he asks.</p>
<p>I snort. "God no. Too many games nowadays are trying to send messages and be gritty and it just ruins the experience. The message in this one is 'whatever you choose is right because it's right for <em>you</em>'. No preachy bullshit about what you <em>should</em> believe or how you <em>should</em> feel. You decide that."</p>
<p>"You should submit that idea," he says. "Once you've polished it up and all, I mean."</p>
<p>"Submit it where?" I ask. "I don't know anything about this world or its businesses. I'm not even sure I'd know how to work your internet. I've stayed away from it on the laptop because the idea of it being incomprehensible kinda scares me."</p>
<p>"Uh-" he makes a small aborted noise as if he was going to reassure me and then the possibilities flooded his brain, which is amusing really. He's just as adorable as his tiny-self was on the show. "I meant to Kaiba Corp's writing division. We've been accepting submissions from people unsolicited for years now."</p>
<p>I blink at that. "I…why?"</p>
<p>Mokuba smiles. "A lot of our submitters are pretty young and…poor. When we see an idea we like, we buy it off of them."</p>
<p>Oh. Oh!</p>
<p>"I kinda forgot about all the Charity that Seto does, god I-" I cut myself off. It's bad enough I was kinda sighing that last part, I don't need to finish 'god I love that man' in front of his baby brother who will likely tell him all about it.</p>
<p>"It's alright," Mokuba- thankfully seems to think the sighing was self-recrimination and not thirst.</p>
<p>'<em>Whatever gods might exist and are looking out for me, kudos on that one.</em>'</p>
<p>"Seto doesn't really advertise his charities and stuff," he says. "Anytime someone mentions it he just kinda…"</p>
<p>"I'm guessing he's a dramatic dick about it or he refuses to acknowledge it at all," I predict.</p>
<p>Mokuba stares at me with his mouth gaping open.</p>
<p>"Which one?" I ask.</p>
<p>His mouth snaps shut and he clears his throat, looking away. Then mutters in a very low tone-</p>
<p>"<em>Both.</em>"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Mokuba POV</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When the creative team breaks up for the eighth time in two weeks and I haven't seen anything about Jewel's project ideas, I decide to ask the head of the department.</p>
<p>And the answer I got was…bad.</p>
<p>(<em>Nothing about those ideas mesh with the image that KaibaCorp is going for. Perhaps in the future that might change, but we'd like to keep things consistent. I'm sorry sir, but if you want those projects done, you'll have to speak with the other mister Kaiba and have him order it.</em>)</p>
<p>My brothers' employees are, as always- so courteous and nice. Even when they're telling me no and turning down <em>really good</em> ideas, they do it so politely that I only feel a <em>little</em> bad about it.</p>
<p>"It was such a good idea, Seto!" I say as I pace across his office.</p>
<p>He's watching me with his usual blank expression. But I know he's listening. Seto always listens.</p>
<p>"All of her ideas were good, but that one especially. I think maybe they just saw that it was a dating sim and threw it in the 'no' pile because they didn't think it'd be serious enough," I say and sigh.</p>
<p>"What was so good about it?" he asks blandly.</p>
<p>"There was no central message," I say and turn to him. "And not in the sense that there was no story. There was a story- she went in depth with me on it because she was excited about showing it to someone. It was…it was like a real life story that could actually happen if our world were just a little weirder. There was so much realistic character work in it. And you could come to your own conclusions about things. There's no railroading in the storyline!"</p>
<p>Sighing, I sit in the seat across from Seto and stare at the desk between us.</p>
<p>I spent a couple hours in her room talking to her about it. She had entire branching paths figured out. She wanted my opinion on whether it should be post apocalypse in the sense that the world had ended and the monsters were holograms- like in her original plan- or whether the monsters coming to life just upheaved society so much that it kinda fell apart.</p>
<p>Through no fault of their own, mostly.</p>
<p>Good monsters and bad monsters appealed to me. And if they were supposed to be really alive- the romance would be less sad. It wouldn't have that bittersweet tang anymore. And while that might be great for some people, to me it just seems…</p>
<p>"You seem excited about it," he observes. Expression still flat.</p>
<p>"We always do the same kind of things in our games and technology. It's great- I mean, I love Duel Monsters. I don't duel that much and I don't love it as a pastime…but I like the monsters and the idea of magic and everything. I have since I was a kid." He knows. He used to read me stories about it. Or make them up. I always loved storytime. "Her story seemed more like the kind of thing I would've been into when I was younger. The chance to interact with the monsters in a way that isn't just making them fight for me. Make friends with them. Even if romance is an option and I'm not interested in that…the other stuff…"</p>
<p>"Mokuba," Seto says my name and it sounds as grave as it always does, with that undercurrent of fondness I'm so used to. "You're the Vice President of KaibaCorp. If there is a project you want to see done, you can approve it personally."</p>
<p>I blink. "Eh?"</p>
<p>"You'd have to fund it yourself, but it's not as though I'm going to stop you," he says.</p>
<p>Oh. He means I can be like…an investor. Someone who buys all the equipment and pays all the employees- so that KaibaCorp doesn't have to take on the burden of possibly backing someone who might fail.</p>
<p>We don't usually do that kind of thing. Seto likes having complete control.</p>
<p>"You mean it? You'd let me?" I ask.</p>
<p>He leans forward, settling his elbows on his desk- resting his chin on his closed fists. "You always could, Mokuba. I trust your judgment. And this is why we have the submission process to begin with. So that children like we were could see their dreams come to fruition. You remember that, don't you?"</p>
<p>Well yeah, but…I dunno I just always knew I could ask Seto for anything I wanted and I would get it. I mean, not like I was a spoiled brat or anything…I just knew that if there was something I really wanted- something that I thought he could give me, he did.</p>
<p>Or he taught me how to get it myself.</p>
<p>That's what he's doing now. He knows he can just approve the project for me, but instead he's telling me to do it personally.</p>
<p>He must've been waiting on me to do this for a long time. Seto is patient, but when given an opportunity, he'll push.</p>
<p>I guess I really must have been slacking on VP duties, then. If he'd always expected this of me…</p>
<p>"Seto," I deadpan. "You know how much I hate it when you don't tell me what you want from me?"</p>
<p>His lips curl up and anyone else would see a cold smirk. But I know my brother and those eyes are filled with mischief. Not the kind anyone else would have. He has his own, really weird sense of humor.</p>
<p>"If I tell you everything, how are you supposed to live without me?" he says.</p>
<p>And I don't find <em>that </em>funny at all.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Sure, Mokuba it looks great," I say while taking in the really cool sci-fi lab. "But you still haven't told me why I'm here."</p>
<p>"It isn't obvious?" he asks with a bright grin. "Your idea was approved!"</p>
<p>I blink for a moment. And then another. And then another.</p>
<p>"Jewel?" he calls my name. "Jewel…are you broken? Come on, I just got you a cool lab for your project, you can't break <em>now</em>!"</p>
<p>He's actually shaking me by the shoulders a little.</p>
<p>"I'm…fine," I say. While having an out of body experience.</p>
<p>Slowly, his hands move away from my shoulders and he leans his head over to peer into my eyes. "You don't seem fine."</p>
<p>"Why?" I ask. A little breathlessly. "What…and why…"</p>
<p>Mokuba takes the hint to explain while I'm looking at the lab with the most confused look on my face.</p>
<p>"This is what happens anytime anyone's project is approved. You get your pick of KaibaCorp employees not currently on a project, and you get to head it yourself!" he says.</p>
<p>"Isn't that mail-in thing also for incredibly young children?" I ask with a twitching eyebrow. "How could a ten year old head an entire project?"</p>
<p>"Oh they don't. You can't unless you're over eighteen," he says. "The kids are given a representative from within the company who asks all the relevant questions, stays in contact with them and shows them progress reports. Then when the game is made, it can't be the kid's fault if it bombs."</p>
<p>I snort. "Did your brother come up with that system?"</p>
<p>"Yeah," he says in surprise. "I mean, obviously. He's the CEO." His surprise dulls then.</p>
<p>"But most people'd probably think that you talked him into something like that," I say. "Because he comes off so cold."</p>
<p>He blinks at me for a moment. "Comes off?"</p>
<p>"Uh…appears?" I say in confusion.</p>
<p>Shaking his head, he chuckles a little. "No, I meant. What do you mean? Most people would say my brother <em>is</em> cold, not just that he appears that way."</p>
<p>"They obviously haven't seen him smile at <em>you,</em> then," I reply.</p>
<p>And then I have to sit down. There's a couch butted up against the wall in a sort of lounge area to our right, so I drift over and slouch onto it.</p>
<p>"I guess not," he says slowly and quietly as he joins me. He's on the other side of the U-shaped couch. It's not that far, but far enough we can both lean on the table between us like the ill-mannered rascals we are. "If you don't mind my asking…in your world, did you know us personally?"</p>
<p>I bite my lip. "I saw you on TV a lot."</p>
<p>He hums. "It just seems like you know things a lot of other people wouldn't know just from TV."</p>
<p>"You know how it is with celebrities," I say. "Expose's abound."</p>
<p>"So, someone else fed that information to the press," he says. "That's…good to know."</p>
<p>I feel a little weird about not telling the whole truth but I also don't want to see what Mokuba looks like when he's having an existential crisis. Sure, he's an adult now, but all I can see when I look at him is adorable little Mokie with his messy puff of black hair and big smile.</p>
<p>So I can't tell him, I just <em>can't</em>. I could maybe tell Seto, he seems able to deal with the absolutely bananas things that happen to him and all but…then he'd probably just tell Mokuba!</p>
<p>"It's less the press and more..." still, I don't want him thinking I was a gossip-hound fangirl. "I guess you could say I got close enough to know you for a short time and then…could only keep up with the press later."</p>
<p>"Oh…" he looks kind of dejected. "Did you and brother have a fight?"</p>
<p>I blink and then laugh. It's a little uneven. "Sorry, I- no. I was not even on your brothers' radar. I mean, would you have expected him to even notice an insect like me?"</p>
<p>He stares at me with some unknowable emotion in his eyes for a moment. "I thought you said you didn't think Seto was cold?"</p>
<p>"You don't have to be cold to be indifferent," I reply uneasily. "Anyway it's not like I was mobbing for his attention like some people were, I was just…sad that we drifted apart, in a sense. That's all."</p>
<p>It's the only way to creatively explain that the <em>one</em> or <em>two</em> times I ever saw Seto as an adult were in spin-offs of the original and he was either Kaibaman or it was just a cameo where he barely spoke a word or something.</p>
<p>The fact that we didn't get a spin-off specifically about Kaiba and his own struggles still makes me mad to this day. The other shows were cute and a Kaiba-focused show would've probably been…dark.</p>
<p>But I still wanted it!</p>
<p>"Oh," Mokuba looks awkward now. "I see. Uh…anyway, this is your lab. Which means everything that happens from here, is up to you."</p>
<p>"But…" I feel a chill up my spine. "I don't know anything about this stuff! I'm just a writer!"</p>
<p>Mokuba laughs and again I'm struck with nostalgia. "That's why we're hiring you a business advisor and personal assistant first."</p>
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